Work vehicles, such as tractors and other agricultural vehicles, typically include a suspension system configured to damp vibrations caused by uneven field conditions. The suspension system often includes an axle configured to support one or more wheels on each of its ends and an axle carrier extending between the axle and a frame or chassis of the work vehicle. The axle carrier may generally be configured to rotate relative to the frame about a lateral axis to facilitate vertical movement of the axle. In addition, the axle may be configured to pivot about the axle carrier to enable the axle to oscillate about a substantially longitudinal axis. Moreover, the suspension system may also include actuating cylinders coupled to the axle that are configured to damp vertical and oscillatory movement of the axle, thereby enhancing ride quality, reducing operator fatigue and reducing wear on certain work vehicle components.
Certain work vehicles also include a steering assembly configured to rotate each wheel and, thus, each associated tire relative to the axle across a range of steering angles. To prevent contact and/or damage to the various components positioned adjacent to the tires (e.g., hood, engine, frame, etc.) while the tires are being rotated, conventional steering assemblies typically include mechanical stops that limit both the steering angle of the tires as well as the oscillatory movement of the axle. As a result, the steering performance of work vehicles including such mechanical stops is often quite limited. Moreover, the mechanical stops must be manually adjusted by the operator to accommodate changes in the front-end configuration of the work vehicle (e.g., when larger tires are installed onto the vehicle and/or when the tire tread width of the vehicle is adjusted). Unfortunately, the manner in which the stops must be adjusted can be confusing, which leads to incorrect adjustments resulting in damage to adjacent vehicle components when the tires contact and/or rub against such components while the vehicle is being steered. In addition, the failure to properly adjust the positioning of the stops may also lead to inefficient vehicle operation.
Accordingly, an improved system and method for actively determining a steering stop angle for a work vehicle that allows for the steering performance of the vehicle to be optimized while preventing damage to adjacent vehicle components would be welcomed in the technology.